This grandmother, smoking a joint in 1979, has nothing on the "marijuana grannies" who were caught allegedly growing 800 marijuana plants in their California home. Terry Cryer/ CORBIS

May 5, 2011

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The story: Police have busted two "marijuana grannies" (see their mugshots, below) for growing copious amounts of pot in a San Bruno, Calif., home. Late last week, the cops responded after neighbors reported two men breaking down the women's front door. Police later caught the two burglary suspects, who had more than $12,000 in cash, marijuana packaging material, and seven pills of ecstasy. But officers say that, when they arrived back at the house, they found 800 pot plants, $3,000 in cash, and an illegal electric setup that stole electricity from a Pacific Gas & Electric power line. The unlikely suspects arrested in this pot-growing operation? Two senior citizens: Aleen Lam, 72, and Virginia Chan Pon, 65.The reaction: "I have never seen or heard of women in their 60s and 70s running a grow house," says the local D.A., as quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle. "I suppose profiteering in illegal enterprises crosses all the generations." Yes, I suppose "this is what some baby boomers are doing to make money after losing all their retirement in the recession," says Erin Sherbert in SF Weekly. But really, "800 plants! Not bad, ladies," says Jeff Neumann at Gawker. Get a load of these "marijuana grannies" for yourself: